Duchesse Hélène d'Orléans
PearDuchesse Hélène d'Orléans
Origin/History
From a seed bed made at Louvain, Belgium, in 1839 by Van Mons; it first fruited in 1847. According to the Album Pomologique this variety was first described in 1847. It has been, by some, confounded with Marechal de la Cour and also with Duchesse d'Orléans, but is found by its growth of wood, more than by its fruit, to be distinct.
Tree
A vigorous grower, with long-jointed, stout wood; the young shoots of a rich warm reddish brown color, with scattered, nearly oblong, light gray specks. Buds sharp pointed.
Fruit
Size and Form: Downing describes the fruit as large, varying from oblong pyriform to oblong obovate pyriform. Hedrick describes it as medium and ovate, always somewhat distorted, one side being longer than the other.
Skin: Downing gives the ground color as whitish yellow; Hedrick gives it as yellowish-green. Both sources agree the surface is considerably netted, dotted, and mottled (patched) with gray and russet, and thickly sprinkled with russet dots. Hedrick adds that the cheek next the sun is carmined.
Stem: Medium or rather stout, a little inclined, set in a small cavity, sometimes with a lip. (Downing.)
Calyx: Open, or partly so; segments short, erect. (Downing.)
Basin: Small, corrugated. (Downing.)
Flesh/Flavor: Flesh white, melting, very juicy. Downing describes the flavor as sweet, pleasant, and a little vinous, rating the variety good to very good. Hedrick describes the flavor as acidulous and sugary with good flavor, rating it first quality.
Season
September and October (Downing); September (Hedrick).
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 2 period pomological works
View original book sources (2)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Duchesse Helene d'Orleans.
Princess Helen d'Orleans. Reine de Vierge.
According to the Album Pomologie this variety was first described in 1847. It has been, by some, confounded with Marechal de la Cour, and also with Duchesse d'Orleans, but is found by its growth of wood, more than by its fruit, to be distinct. Tree a vigorous grower, with long jointed, stout wood, the young shoots of a rich warm reddish brown color, with scattered, nearly oblong, light gray specks. Buds sharp pointed.
Fruit large, varying from oblong pyriform to oblong obovate pyriform, whitish yellow, considerably netted and patched with russet, and thickly sprinkled with russet dots. Stalk medium or rather stout, a little inclined, set in a small cavity, sometimes with a lip. Calyx open, or partly so. Segments short, erect. Basin small, corrugated. Flesh white, juicy, melting, sweet, pleasant, a little vinous. Good to very good. September, October.
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Duchesse Hélène d'Orléans.
i. Leroy Dict. Pom. 2:109, fig. 1869.
From a seed bed made at Louvain, Bel., in 1839 by Van Mons; it first fruited in 1847. Fruit medium, ovate, always somewhat distorted, one side being longer than the other, yellowish-green, dotted and mottled with gray and russet, carmined on the cheek next the sun; flesh white, melting, very juicy, acidulous, sugary, good flavor; first; Sept.